Card feeding apparatus

Abstract

A card feeding apparatus realizes random and selective feeding of cards of different types or kinds. This apparatus includes a card supplying device, a card holding and feeding device, and a controller. The card holding and feeding device includes a table set having tables on which cards from the card supplying device are held, a table set supporting structure (e.g., a frame), a table set moving device (e.g., a lifting mechanism), and a card conveying device that conveys cards held on the tables. In response to a card feeding signal, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped using the table set moving device such that a target table designated from the tables by the said signal is located at the card conveying position, and the card holding and feeding device is activated, thereby feeding a card on the target table by the card conveying device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A card feeding apparatus for random and selective feeding of cards of different types or kinds which are held therein, comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; 
 and wherein a pair of vertically extending sidewalls is formed respectively at both sides of the table set supporting structure with respect to the card feeding direction in such a way that the table set supporting structure is moved vertically in a space between the pair of sidewalls by the table set moving device. 
 
     
     
       2. The card feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in response to the card feeding signal, a placing motion of an additional card which is supplied from the card supplying device on the target table is interlocked with a conveying motion of the card held on the target table. 
     
     
       3. The card feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the card conveying device comprises
 a first roller unit for conveying forward a card which is moved to the card conveying position from the card supplying device; 
 a second roller unit for conveying forward the card which is conveyed on the target table by the first roller unit; and 
 a third roller unit for conveying forward the card which is conveyed forward from the target table by the second roller unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The card feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when all the tables in the table set are defined as first to n-th tables, where n is an integer greater than unity, the controller performs a card placing process and a card feeding process;
 and wherein in the card placing process, cards are successively supplied from the card supplying device to the card conveying position and are successively placed on the first to n-th tables; 
 and wherein in the card feeding process, the card placed on the target table which is designated from the first to n-th tables is conveyed forward in response to the card feeding signal. 
 
     
     
       5. The card feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a placing motion of an additional card which is supplied from the card supplying device on the target table is performed in synchronization with a conveying motion of the card held on the target table. 
     
     
       6. A card feeding apparatus comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; and 
 a sliding mechanism for selectively sliding a specified one of the tables of the table set to the card conveying position so as to be interlocked with a vertical motion of the table set without sliding the remaining tables. 
 
     
     
       7. The card feeding apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a pair of sidewalls arranged respectively at both sides of the table set with respect to the card feeding direction;
 wherein each of the pair of sidewalls comprises a cam hole having a first linear part, a second linear part, and a bended part formed between the first and second linear parts; 
 and wherein each of the tables in the table set has right and left cam followers which are respectively engaged with the cam holes of the pair of sidewalls; 
 and wherein the cam holes of the pair of sidewalls and the cam followers of the tables constitute the sliding mechanism. 
 
     
     
       8. A card feeding apparatus comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; and 
 wherein the card conveying device comprises a pair of rollers which is contactable with a card held on the target table; 
 and wherein when feeding the card held on the target table, the pair of rotating rollers is contacted with the card on the target table at its two side edges, thereby conveying the card on the target table in the card feeding direction; 
 and wherein the cards held on all the tables in the table set are kept detached from the pair of rotating rollers while the table set is moved vertically. 
 
     
     
       9. A card feeding apparatus comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; wherein each of the tables in the table set comprises a lever which is moved between a standby position and a protruded position in response to a placing motion of a card; 
 and wherein presence and absence of a card on each of the tables is judged by detecting which one of the standby position and the protruded position the lever is located at. 
 
     
     
       10. A card feeding apparatus comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; 
 wherein the table set moving device comprises driven pins respectively formed on a pair of side plates of the table set supporting structure, and a pair of gears which are rotatably supported and which are respectively engaged with the driven pins on the pair of side plates; 
 and wherein the table set supporting structure is moved vertically by forward and backward rotation of the pair of gears. 
 
     
     
       11. A card feeding apparatus, comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction, further comprising operating protrusions arranged on respective arrangement lines extending vertically on a side plate of the table set supporting structure, and sensors provided on the respective arrangement lines for sensing the corresponding operating protrusions; 
 wherein the position of the table set supporting structure during its vertical motion is detected based on combination of output signals of the sensors. 
 
     
     
       12. A card feeding apparatus comprising:
 a card supplying device including a card storing section for vertically storing cards so as to form a card stack, and a card conveying section for conveying a desired card from the card stack one by one to a supply port; 
 a card holding and feeding device for holding cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof, and for feeding the cards toward an outside of the apparatus in a predetermined card feeding direction one by one; and 
 a controller for controlling operations of the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device; 
 wherein the card holding and feeding device comprises; 
 a table set including tables which are stacked vertically at a predetermined pitch in such a way that cards supplied from the card supplying device through the supply port thereof are placed on the respective tables; 
 a table set supporting structure that supports the table set so as to enclose all the tables; 
 a table set moving device that moves vertically the table set supporting structure; and 
 a card conveying device that conveys cards which are held on the respective tables of the table set toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction one by one; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped at a predetermined card conveying position corresponding to the supply port of the card supplying device while vertically moving the table set supporting structure by the table set moving device, and the card supplying device and the card holding and feeding device are activated, thereby placing cards which are supplied from the card supplying device on the respective tables of the table set; 
 and wherein under control of the controller, in response to a card feeding signal sent from an upper-level device of the apparatus, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped in such a way that a target table which is designated by the card feeding signal from the tables of the table set is located at the card conveying position, and the card conveying device is activated, thereby conveying the card held on the target table toward the outside of the apparatus in the card feeding direction; wherein all the tables in the table set are vertically arranged at a fixed pitch and are independently movable forward and backward in the table set supporting structure, and a sliding mechanism is provided for the table set; 
 and wherein when any one of the tables in the table set is designated as the target table, the target table is moved backward to the card conveying position in response to the card feeding signal using the sliding mechanism in synchronization with a vertical motion of the table set supporting structure to a designated position by the table set moving device.